ZestFinance

Who We Are

ZestFinance was founded by a team of (mostly) ex-Google and Capital One folks who came together with a mission – to save the underbanked billions of dollars. Since then, the team has grown to more than a hundred crazy smart data geeks, mathematicians and computer scientists, all working together to re-invent underwriting and make more credit available to the people who need it most.

What We Do

Traditionally, underwriting has used a handful of variables. ZestFinance takes an entirely different approach to underwriting using machine learning and large-scale big data analysis.

With a team of some of the world’s best data scientists from Google and lending experts from Capital One, ZestFinance analyzes thousands of potential credit variables – everything from financial information to technology usage – to better assess factors like the potential for fraud, the risk of default, and the viability of a long-term customer relationship.

Higher approval rates, lower default

Our big data underwriting model provides a 40% improvement over the current best-in-class industry score. That translates into more accurate credit decisions, which leads to increased credit availability for borrowers and higher repayment rates for lenders.

This new approach to underwriting will enable lenders to expand their customer base, take business from their competitors, and better serve existing borrowers – without affecting their default rate. Alternatively, lenders can use our model to lower default rates while maintaining a particular approval rate, limiting losses and significantly improving returns.

How We Do It (Tech Stack)

Our code base is written almost entirely in Ruby on Rails. We look for engineers who are passionate about open source technologies that want their work to make a real difference in the lives of millions of Americans. If that's you, join us!